Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

One quango goes, to be replaced by three.

Needless bureaucracy means a new system for delivering post-16 education will waste public money and fail to deliver expected benefits, council leaders have warned.

The new structure will see one quango, the Learning and Skills Council, replaced by three - with a total staff of 2,170!!

From 1st April, responsibility for the £7billion post-16 education and training budget returns to local councils (but is 'ring-fenced' so it can't be spent on anything else). The Young People's Learning Agency will employ 500 people, the Skills Funding Agency will employ 1,300 and the National Apprenticeship Service another 370.This news is really quite ironic following my web post on this site just seven days ago...